NORMAN, Okla. -- For the second time in as many weeks
and the third time this season, the Oklahoma women's gymnastics team
swept the Big 12 weekly awards announced Tuesday.

Junior Taylor Spears was named Gymnast of the Week, junior Lara
Albright was named Specialist of the Week and sophomore Lauren Alexander
was named Newcomer of the Week for their performances in the Metroplex
Challenge last Saturday.

Spears picked up her third Gymnast of the Week honor this season and
ninth career weekly accolade. This is the first recognition for both
Albright and Alexander.

Spears tied for the all-around title at the Metroplex Challenge, a
meet featuring No. 7 LSU, No. 9 Georgia and No. 16 Oregon State. Led by a
season-high bars score of 9.875 and the second-best score on beam of
any gymnast on the night (9.875), Spears won her third all-around title
in four meets this year. The junior is currently No. 7 in the nation
with a 39.413 all-around average, second-best among competitors with at
least four all-around scores or more this season.

Albright totaled a season high and tied a career high with a 9.9 on
floor at the Metroplex Challenge. Leading off the rotation for the No. 2
Sooners, Albright scored a team high under pressure, with the Sooners
needing a 49.100 or higher going into floor in order to win the
Challenge. Performing on podium for the first time this season, Albright
set the Sooners up for the win with the second-highest score on floor
of the night.

Alexander received a 9.975 on beam at the Metroplex Challenge, the
highest score earned on beam by any gymnast in the country this season.
The mark was the highest of any gymnast on any apparatus at the
Challenge and the highest score by a Sooner this season. Alexander was
given a 9.95 by one judge and a perfect 10.0 by another. The sophomore
is competing for the first time in her career this season. After
suffering two ACL injuries her junior year of high school, Alexander was
forced to sit out her senior season. She joined the Sooners in fall
2011, but her injury forced her to quit before the 2012 season began.
After sitting out the season, Alexander made it back on the roster this
fall.

OU now has won 11 of 12 Big 12 weekly awards in four weeks this season.

The Sooners travel to Morgantown, W.Va., to compete against Big 12 foe
West Virginia along with non-conference opponents William & Mary and
Western Michigan on Friday, Feb. 1, at 6 p.m. CT. The meet will be
streamed live for free on WVUSports.com.